Page 20 of Jesse (Pecan Pines #6)

Beck

Jesse slid his jacket off and tossed it on the armchair. “Dinner?”

I hummed in response, watching him drag himself toward the pantry. He pulled out a jar of peanut butter, jam, and a loaf of bread but then stopped, looking momentarily lost.

His gaze darted around the kitchen, as though he was searching for something but couldn’t quite piece it together.

“Knife,” I murmured, stepping closer to open the drawer beside him.

I handed it to him, and he blinked before offering me a small, sheepish smile.

“Thanks,” he said, his voice soft, the exhaustion clearly seeping through.

I leaned against the counter and watched him spread peanut butter slowly.

I rarely saw him like this. But today, he’d set up the food truck alone, prepped everything, and worked the crowd while keeping an eye out for trouble.

Every time I glanced his way earlier, he’d been scanning the festival square, checking for anything out of place, anyone suspicious. And somehow, he’d still managed to keep an eye on me, too.

I couldn’t blame him for being a little checked out now. Honestly, I probably looked just as rough, if not worse.

The festival earlier had been a blur of faces and noise. I tried to stay focused, watching anyone who looked too tense or too out of place.

My wolf had bristled more than once, but with so many people milling around, it was impossible to pinpoint anything solid. The unease came and went, just enough to keep me on edge.

And through all of that, I still hadn’t told Jesse how I’d managed to convince my father to let me come back to Pecan Pines.

It had taken less yelling than I’d expected. My father’s glare had been just as intense as ever, but this time, he’d listened.

“I want to see this through,” I told him. “I can’t leave knowing we haven’t caught the guy. Not when he could hurt someone else. Not in Pecan Pines, not anywhere.”

I hadn’t held back. I told him how I didn’t want to let the pack down, how walking away felt like giving up. Then, when I saw his expression waver, I said the thing I knew would hit hardest.

“I can’t leave my mate.”

That did it.

Even if it hadn’t, I still would’ve gotten out of the car. My father’s opinion didn’t matter, not in that moment. But knowing he had my back, even grudgingly, wasn’t the worst thing in the world.

For once, he hadn’t pulled the pack alpha card or tried to force me back.

He just made me promise to keep him in the loop this time. A lot of promises, actually. Be careful, be safe.

It was almost sentimental. Maybe the old man was getting soft.

Jesse handed me a sandwich, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Cheers,” he said, holding his sandwich up.

“Cheers,” I echoed, tapping mine against his before taking a bite.

Jesse wolfed his sandwich down in five bites, maybe six tops, while I took my time.

He wiped his hands on a dish towel and leaned back against the counter. His posture visibly relaxed for the first time all day.

“You mind if we go over what to do next tomorrow?” he asked. His voice was calm but tinged with fatigue. “We’ll need to check in with Cooper too.”

“Yeah, sounds good,” I said, nodding.

I couldn’t think about doing anything else tonight anyway. My brain felt like it had been wrung dry.

Jesse stepped out of the kitchen, and I thought he was heading to his room, but a moment later, I felt his gaze on me.

I looked up to see him standing in the doorway, his expression softer than usual.

“Did I ever tell you I was glad you came back?” He asked.

I felt a small smile tug at my lips. “Yeah,” I said, setting my sandwich down. “But you can show me again.”

He crossed the room in a few easy strides, and before I could say anything else, his mouth was on mine.

The kiss started slow, teasing and tasting, but it didn’t take long for the passion to build. I leaned into him, gripping his shirt as his hands slid up to cup my face.

Then our lips fumbled awkwardly, teeth knocking and tongues slipping. I winced, and we both pulled back, laughing like idiots, cheeks flushed and breath uneven.

“Alright, you,” I said, nudging him toward the door. “Go take a shower and get some sleep.”

Jesse smirked, but his eyes were drooping. “Fine. But you’d better finish up soon.”

He paused in the doorway and looked around. I realized I had left my bags back at the food truck. It had slipped my mind in all the chaos.

Jesse added, “You can borrow some of my clothes for bed. Or, you know, not.”

I snorted and gave him a gentle push. “Go. Now. Before you pass out in the shower.”

He leaned back for one last peck on the corner of my mouth, then left the room.

Once he was gone, I sent a quick text to Jackson to let him know I was already back at Jesse’s place.

With the obligatory check-in out of the way, I finished my sandwich, rinsed the dishes, and wiped down the counter.

I heard the water shut off and peeked into the bedroom to find Jesse already asleep, sprawled out on the bed.

Shaking my head, I grabbed some of his clothes to change into, but just as I was heading to the bathroom, Jesse’s phone buzzed on the nightstand.

I ignored it at first, but then it buzzed again. The screen lit up with a missed call from Tony.

I snatched up the phone and hit redial. The call barely rang once before Tony answered.

“Finally,” Tony said, sounding relieved. “I’ve been trying to reach you. Did you get my message?”

“This is Beck. Jesse’s asleep right now. What’s up?” I asked, keeping my voice steady.

“Tell him I managed to recover the files from the CCTV,” Tony said quickly. “I emailed them to him. He should check and call me if he has questions.”

“Got it. Can you send them to me too? I’ll take a look now.” I rattled off my email address, and Tony promised to send the files immediately before hanging up.

I hesitated, glancing toward the bedroom. Jesse hadn’t stirred, not even with the phone buzzing.

Deep sleeper didn’t even begin to cover it. I shook his shoulder, calling his name, but he didn’t move.

Frustration gnawed at me. I opened the email on my phone and clicked the attachment, but the video was too blurry to make out much on the small screen.

There was a figure, and something smudged on the side of their neck, but it was hard to tell.

I needed my laptop.

I glanced at Jesse again, debating whether to try waking him up one more time, but it felt pointless.

Just a quick trip, I told myself. I’d grab my laptop and bags, and be back before Jesse even noticed I was gone.

Decision made, I grabbed the keys and slipped out, leaving Jesse to his sleep.

The streets were empty, the truck’s steady rumble filling the silence as I headed back to the food truck.

The fairgrounds felt different now, quiet and stripped of the earlier noise and color.

I approached the food truck cautiously, glancing around as I unlocked the doors.

Inside, I quickly located my bags and laptop. Slinging them over my shoulder, I paused, senses pricking. A flicker of movement caught the corner of my eye.

Heart pounding, I stepped outside, scanning the area. The shadows seemed to shift, but I couldn’t pinpoint anything.

My wolf bristled, a low, uneasy growl echoing in my chest. I circled the truck slowly.

Nothing.

Letting out a shaky breath, I grabbed the door, ready to shut it. A voice broke the stillness behind me, and I froze.

“Late night, huh?”

I spun around, my wolf bristling. It was that guy.

“Oh, hey!” I said, racking my brain for his name. “Uh, A…?”

“Aiden,” he said with a small smile. He leaned back casually, hands tucked into his jacket pockets.

“Right. Aiden,” I repeated, forcing my unease down. “What are you doing here?”

“Camping nearby,” he said, nodding toward the woods beyond the fairgrounds. “I like taking walks at night. Clears the head.”

“Uh-huh.” I tightened my grip on the strap of my bag.

“What about you? Isn’t it a bit late to be hanging around the truck?”

“Just needed to grab a few things,” I said, keeping my tone casual.

Aiden tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing as he looked around. “Are you alone?”

My wolf bristled again, a warning growl rumbling at the back of my mind. My eyes flicked to the tattoo on his neck. Suddenly, everything clicked into place.

I swallowed hard, forcing my expression to stay neutral. I stepped back toward the truck.

My mind raced, trying to think of a plan. If I could get inside and shut the door, I might have the upper hand.

“Everything alright?” Aiden asked, taking a step closer.

“Yeah,” I said quickly, backing up the steps and into the truck. “Just… uh, forgot something.”

He followed, one slow step at a time, his smile slipping as he studied me.

My fingers brushed against the counter, searching blindly for anything I could use.

The cold glass of a bottle met my palm.

I swung the bottle, smashing it against the side of Aiden’s head. He let out a guttural growl, stumbling back as shards of glass rained down.

But he recovered faster than I expected.

Claws extended from his fingers as he lunged, his weight crashing into me. I tried to hold my ground, but he was stronger, faster.

He slammed me onto the floor of the truck, his hands wrapping around my neck like iron clamps.

I clawed at his arms, my nails raking deep enough to draw blood, but he didn’t let go.

My vision blurred, black dots swimming in and out as I struggled to catch my breath. My wolf snarled inside me, desperate and panicked, but I couldn’t shift. Not like this.

The last thing I saw before blacking out were Aiden’s eyes, glowing gold and wild with fury.